THE ROMANCE OF THE ROAD
Among the many places of magic visited by Pantagruel and his company during the progress of their famous voyage, few surpass that island whose roads did literally 'go' to places—'ou les chemins cheminent, comme animaulx:' and would-be travellers, having inquired of the road as to its destination, and received satisfactory reply, 'se guindans' (as the old book hath it—hoisting themselves up on) 'au chemin opportun, sans aultrement se poiner ou fatiguer, se trouvoyent au lieu destiné.'
The best example I know of an approach to this excellent sort of vitality in roads is the Ridgeway of the North Berkshire Downs. Join it at Streatley, the point where it crosses the Thames; at once it strikes you out and away from the habitable world in a splendid, purposeful manner, running along the highest ridge of the Downs a broad green ribbon of
